Legendary poet and author Gopaldas Saxena Neeraj passed away at AIIMS on Thursday evening. He died at the age of 93 due to prolonged illness. Popularly known as Niraj or Neeraj, he was also a famous poet of Hindi Kavi Sammelan. The Padma Shri (1991) and Padma Bhushan (2007) wrote several poems and songs for Hindi movies for several Hindi Movies and earned a unique position as a songwriter who wrote with equal facility in both Hindi and Urdu.

2/7 Image credit: twitter Gopaldas Neeraj

On a related note, Neeraj had been awarded both the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan in 1991 and 2007 respectively for his exemplary contribution. The Uttar Pradesh government had felicitated him with the Yash Bharati award and he had won many Filmfare awards for his songs.

3/7Image credit: twitterGopaldas Neeraj

Born Gopaldas Saxena on January 4, 1925, Neeraj earned his living as a professor of Hindi Literature in Dharma Samaj College, Aligarh. In an interview, Neeraj had said that he considered himself unlucky as a couple of prominent music directors who he wrote for, expired. So he chose to abstain from writing more movie songs and confined himself to poetry in his later years.

In 2012, Neeraj was the chancellor of Mangalayatan University in Aligarh. His daughter Kundanika Sharma is a former MLA and she had accompanied him to the hospital. His son Shashank Prabhar told media that the body would first be taken to Agra from where it will be taken back to Aligarh where the last rites would be performed.

6/7Image credit: twitterGopaldas Neeraj

He was 93 and was ailing from lung infection. Neerajís health took a turn for the worse this Monday and he had to be taken from Aligarh to Agra. However, his condition continued to deteriorate and he had to be moved to AIIMS here.

7/7Image credit: twitterGopaldas Neeraj

Popularly known as Niraj or Neeraj, he was also a famous poet of Hindi Kavi Sammelan. The Padma Shri (1991) and Padma Bhushan (2007) wrote several poems and songs for Hindi movies for several Hindi Movies and earned a unique position as a songwriter who wrote with equal facility in both Hindi and Urdu.